


Blue skies are calling

by girlwithabird42



Series: Once more for the ages [35]
Category: The Last of Us, Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Crossover, Epic Friendship, Gen, Summer Camp, lady friendships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-22 23:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19683232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlwithabird42/pseuds/girlwithabird42
Summary: Elena, Nate, and Joel all have the same idea: send their kids to summer camp.  Cassie and Ellie both wind up with a new best friend.





	Blue skies are calling

The decision is made before the school year is up. For the first time in her life, Cassie is going to summer camp. It’s hard not to sound ungrateful fighting it.

“Okay, so it’s too dangerous to bring a big crew to the Ural Mountains, I get that. But can’t I stay here by myself?” Cassie reasons.

“You’re fourteen, nice try,” mom says looking up from her paperwork.

“Almost fifteen,” Cassie points out. It’s a minor point of contention, but she’ll use it. “Dad was on his own –”

“Not a lifestyle I recommend,” dad sighs, but a smile quirks at the corners of his mouth.

Cassie smirks. “Whatever, maybe I can stay at Harper’s –”

“Your grandparents aren’t getting any younger and we have plans to visit when we get back and you’re done with camp.”

“Wow with the guilt, mom.”

Mom smiles sympathetically. “Look, I went when I was kid and had a lot of fun. I know it’s not as exciting as all the world travel you’ve done, but what _fifteen_ -year-old doesn’t want two weeks away from her parents?” Teasingly, “You’re a weird kid.”

Cassie giggles, but then fakes a pout for her last argument. “You were younger when you went.”

“Better late than never.”

Cassie looks to dad who throws his hands up. “I can’t say I wish I went at your age because that’d be a load of crap, but your mom’s right ninety percent of the time – _ow_!” dad yelps as mom prods him with a pen. “You know for that – only eighty-five percent of the time –”

Cassie rolls her eyes and goes back to her room before it gets any grosser.

The website boasts wall climbing, an archery range, and all manner of water sports without the distractions of cell service or wi-fi. It’s 2034.

Despite the lack of technology, Cassie’s game for all the activities. Still, she crams as many books into her bags as she can manage. Just because she isn’t going to Kazakhstan doesn’t mean she can’t follow her parents on the page.

Cassie keeps her face pressed against the car window as the Wyoming highways move from wide open spaces to densely packed trees as they curve up the sides of mountains.

The camp sign looks like it’s seen better days. Cassie lets out a long exhale. She shouldn’t have gotten her hopes up it would even be somewhat impressive compared to its landscape.

“You want help with your bags, kiddo?” dad offers when they step out of the car. He nearly drops the one he grabs, taken aback by its unexpected weight. “Jesus Cass, did you pack the entire household library?”

Cassie shrugs as mom gives dad a warning look.

A councilor points Cassie in the direction of Cabin 9.

When they’re a few steps away, mom sighs. “Should have been Cabin 7 like me. There was this girl, Katie Banner in Cabin 9 who was a real –” she cuts herself short.

“Hmm? What was Katie Banner, mom?” Cassie catches dad’s eye, who wears an identical grin.

Mom laughs, “Pain in my ass, just like you two.”

Cassie and dad share a fist bump behind mom’s back.

The Cabin 9 councilor, Theo, tells Cassie to get settled and to meet at the campfire ring by four, leaving Cassie alone with her parents, unpacking at the one remaining bunk bed.

Dad taps the top one. “I hear cool kids sleep on the top.”

Cassie gives him a quizzical look as she continues dumping her stuff on the lower bunk. “What bad, outdated movies have you been watching?”

Mom snickers as dad shrugs, “I’m just saying.”

She’s almost done unpacking and her parents can’t linger much longer.

“I’m gonna have a good time,” Cassie promises, despite the growing lump in her throat. This is dumb. She’s fourteen and shouldn’t be getting upset.

“Yeah,” mom says, brushing Cassie’s loose hair out of her face before hugging her almost too painfully close. Her glasses are the only thing preventing small tear stains from staining dad’s shirt when he hugs her.

“Stay out of trouble, just for two weeks,” dad advises.

Cassie lets out a watery laugh, “I will if you do too.”

“No promises,” mom smiles as they wave goodbye, leaving Cassie alone in the cabin.

She moves slowly with the last of her stuff, sniffing back threatening tears. It must be getting close to four and Cassie’s almost ready to face the campfire when the screen door slams open, startling her. A taller, skinnier girl stands in the doorway unaccompanied.

Both Cassie and the girl awkwardly face off for a moment when the girl jerks her chin in the direction of the unoccupied top bunk. “Anyone sleeping there?”

Cassie shakes her head. “Nope, it’s free.”

“Great.”

The girl flings her backpack, then herself onto the top bunk. It’s only then Cassie notices the newcomer came with only the worn backpack, mostly held together with bright band patches.

Cassie clears her throat awkwardly, “I was gonna go down to the campfire if you wanna come with me.”

“I’ll get there,” the girl mumbles, staring at the ceiling.

“Kay.” Cassie hurries towards the door, pausing with it half swung open. “I’m Cassie by the way.”

“Ellie,” the girl half waves.

“See you down there,” Cassie calls over her shoulder.

There’s no way Ellie’s going to show up; she clearly wants to be here less than Cassie. Somehow, that stiffens Cassie’s resolve to have a good time.

Ellie does show up, but not until the ring’s broken into groups for ice breakers. Theo doesn’t give Ellie a talking to, which Cassie considers maybe a good sign.

For the hell of it, Cassie gives Ellie a small wave. Ellie waves back.

\----------

Cassie wakes up in the middle of the night, stomach turning and aching something terrible. It must have been the Sloppy Joes for dinner.

She shakes Theo awake. “Hey, I have to go to the bathroom.”

The fluorescent lights are way too harsh after the pitch black of the woods. Cassie blinks it back a couple times. When she finally sits down, she realizes what happened. _Crap, crap, crap._

“Hey Theo?”

“Hmm,” Theo responds, clearly through a yawn.

“Do you have a pad?”

“I’ve got some tampons.”

“Uhh,” Cassie squirms uncomfortably.

“Hold tight, I’ll be right back.”

Theo returns and passes Cassie the nondescript package under the stall door. They return to the cabin and Cassie’s night is restless.

It sucks, starting her period right at the beginning of camp, and on what turns out to be a perfect day for swimming. She hides the fact she isn’t wearing her swim bottoms by wrapping her towel around her shorts.

She’s not the only one lingering on the dock though. Ellie sits there, alone, legs dangling in a faded suit, mostly covered by an unbuttoned flannel.

“Period too?” Cassie tries to say casually, wrinkling her nose as she sits next to Ellie.

“No.”

“Oh.”

There’s a long pause before Cassie thinks of what to say, remembering the icebreakers from the night before. “So, you’re from Boston. So’s my dad.”

“Really? Didn’t see him at the last Faneuil Hall meeting,” Ellie says dryly.

Cassie giggles; Ellie cracks a smile.

“Hawaii’s about as far as you can get from Boston,” Ellie observes.

Cassie nods. “Yeah, that was the idea. You said you just moved to Wyoming though?”

Ellie pulls her sleeves over her hands. “Joel wanted to be closer to his daughter and brother, so here we are in the middle of fucking nowhere,” she slips her hands out to gesture at the nearby mountains.

Cassie’s lost and it must show on her face. “And Joel is?”

Ellie doesn’t say anything, clearly trying to come up with an answer, but also maybe trying to size Cassie up. “He’s like my foster dad?”

“Oh. Okay. Cool.” Cassie says, not casually at all. Her need to sleuth things out always makes her too nosey.

“It is cool,” Ellie says a little quieter, but sincerely. Then, “So why’d you get dumped here?”

Cassie shrugs, “My parents are working outside the country and I couldn’t go with them this time.”

Ellie raises her eyebrows. “Oh. Fancy. What do they do?”

Cassie bites the inside of her lip. “Oh, you know. Historical research and stuff. They go on lots of archeological digs, and no, not like Indiana Jones.”

Ellie gives a small nod, “No shit, I thought you kind of looked like the lady in those ads.”

Cassie groans just as a cramp seizes up in her side, making everything hurt more.

“Don’t worry, I haven’t actually seen it,” Ellie waves a dismissive hand. “I’m not really into that school stuff.”

Cassie’s _almost_ offended on dad and mom’s behalf, but is too relieved the conversation isn’t going the other way.

She knows she’s bordering on spoiled, but she says it anyway. “Yeah, this is the first time I haven’t gone with them. They usually let me help a bit with the research stage.”

“So this is all pretty lame, huh?”

Cassie tries to play it cool, “Kind of.” She only half believes it.

Unexpectedly, Ellie smiles. “I like it. I’m _not_ telling Joel though.”

“Didn’t want to come?”

“I don’t know. He wanted me to ‘socialize’ with people,” Ellie throws up air quotes. “Which is a bunch of bullshit because _he_ basically only socializes with his girlfriend. Partner, whatever.” She looks out over the lake, “I fucking hate when straight people say that.”

Cassie chuckles, “You sound like my mom’s friend Liz. Or her friend Nadine – actually, I don’t really know if they call themselves friends. But what Nadine and Chloe do _does_ have partners –” she cuts herself off. She’s rambling.

“You hang out with adults a lot?”

“Yeah.”

“Me too.”

“I guess it’s good we’re both here.”

Cassie’s legs aren’t quite as long as Ellie’s, but she can just brush the surface of the lake with her toes. She really wishes she were up for swimming.

“Bet this isn’t as nice as Hawaii,” Ellie comments.

“It’s different, but I like going all over the place,” Cassie answers honestly. “Even Wyoming.”

Ellie gives Cassie a look she’s people she isn’t friends with give her all the time, like she’s just a little bit odd. Cassie already knows it.

But Ellie doesn’t walk away like other people. Instead, she kicks ice cold water towards Cassie’s bare legs. Cassie squeals at the shock, then laughs and kicks water back.

\----------

It pours the next day, so there’s no feeling bad about missing out on swimming, but Cassie still doesn’t feel great. She keeps aimlessly checking her phone for a signal so she can call mom or at least text her. Never mind she’s on the other side of the world, the zero bars keep taunting Cassie.

“Is that your dog?” Ellie asks over her shoulder.

They’re sitting at a table under a shelter, Cassie facing a slew of crafts; Ellie looking out into the rain-soaked woods.

Cassie illuminates her lock screen. The picture’s a few years old, Vicky and herself on the bow of the sailboat. “Yeah. We had to put her down earlier this year.”

“I’m sorry. That really sucks.”

Cassie tries to swallow the waver in her voice. “It did really suck, but she was pretty old. Sully gave her to me when I was a baby. He’s like my great uncle. Actually, technically he’s my godfather, I always forget that.”

“So you’ve got a weird family too.”

“At least on my dad’s side.”

For a while they just listen to the rain running off the roof. Cassie starts picking out different colored threads to work on a bracelet. Mom said it’s not camp if you don’t walk away with at least a couple and Cassie promised Harper one.

“I’ve always wanted a dog,” Ellie says, not really even to Cassie.

“They’re the best. I hope you get one.”

Maybe someday Cassie will have another, but she still misses Vicky too much to think of another.

Ellie doesn’t spin around to work on crafts of her own, instead pulls a rolled-up comic book from her back pocket.

“What’s that?” Cassie asks, jerking her chin towards the comic, unable to put down the many threads of the bracelet.

“Just some vintage comic. I started collecting them last year. You’re probably not interested; it’s not a brick of a book.”

“Hey,” Cassie retorts defensively. “I like stuff like that too. I play a lot of old video games.”

Ellie chuckles, “Sorry, geez. My bad.”

She flashes the cover to Cassie. It’s got about the pulpiest cover Cassie can imagine, littered with top-heavy women and men in front of brightly colored explosions.

“ _Savage Starlight_?”

“It’s fucking awesome.”

One of the councilors within earshot glares at Ellie. Ellie makes an ‘oops’ face, but doesn’t actually apologize.

“I’ll have to check them out,” Cassie says.

“I’ll lend them to you.” A pause. “And no offense, but don’t lend me your stuff.”

“It _is_ really cool though,” Cassie insists. “There might be sections of the Silk Road we didn’t even know existed.”

As she launches into an explanation of dad’s hunches, surprisingly, Ellie seems to be listening while Cassie keeps at it with the bracelets. Occasionally Ellie points at some beads, suggesting Cassie’s next course of action.

When she finally finishes talking about her parents’ current job, she’s a little winded. “Sorry, that was a lot and probably kind of boring.”

Ellie laughs, “No, it’s neat they get to see so much stuff.”

“You don’t have to lie, even most of my friends think it gets dry sometimes.”

Ellie fidgets with her comic book, “I’m serious. Hell, before last year I never left Massachusetts.”

Cassie, with her multiple filled passports, can’t imagine what that life was like. But even in her brief acquaintance with Ellie, she’s figured out one thing: Ellie isn’t looking for anyone’s sympathy.

“Well,” Cassie chuckles, “Thanks for listening to me anyway.”

The rain starts to let up and other campers scatter to do less stationary activities. Cassie and Ellie stay; Cassie still deep in braiding, Ellie reading. It is close to dinner when Cassie finishes her last project.

Ellie stands, stretching her arms high. “Ready for more terrible food?” She doesn’t notice Cassie’s outstretched hand right away.

“Your handiwork,” Cassie offers the bracelet.

Ellie scoffs, “I didn’t do anything.”

“You did,” Cassie insists. “You picked at least half the beads and I’m guessing its more your color scheme than anyone I know at home. Come on, it’s camp tradition.”

Ellie takes the bracelet hesitantly, but smiles. “Thanks for doing the hard part.”

Cassie grins back, “No problem.”

Cassie helps Ellie tie the bracelet around her wrist and they both head up to the mess.

\----------

Cassie feels much more like herself closer to the end of the first week, the worst of her period clearly over and the sun peeking through the tops of the trees.

“Wanna do the climbing wall?” she suggests to Ellie one morning over scrambled eggs and instant hot chocolate.

“Seems fun enough to me.” It’s as strong an endorsement as Ellie’s given anything all week.

Cassie’s also noticed Ellie tends to follow her lead and hasn’t really talked to too many other people other than councilors. Then again, feeling grumpy herself, Cassie hasn’t made an effort to befriend anyone else but Ellie. Maybe that’s okay.

It’s not the world’s greatest climbing wall, but considering the state of the rest of the camp, Cassie’s mildly impressed.

The councilors in charge of the wall try to talk Cassie through putting on her gear.

“I know, I know,” she says impatiently. From the corner of her eye she spots Ellie trying to follow her lead rather than the councilors.

For a first-timer, Ellie does well. She misses a few more difficult hand holds but makes it to the top shortly after Cassie.

Belayed to the ground and ready for a second go, Ellie grins. “Race you this time.”

“It’s a not a contest,” Cassie huffs, then smiles, “I’m gonna win anyway.”

“You’re on.”

Cassie puts in half-effort because there’s no denying Ellie’s long reach gives her a slight advantage, but Cassie’s years of experience easily wins out.

“That was bullshit,” Ellie wheezes. “You weren’t trying, even I could tell.”

Cassie sticks out her tongue and heads back down, maybe a little too fast, but lands easily on her feet.

“Do you do this with your friends at home?” Ellie asks as they sit on the ground, watching other rounds of campers climb. “It doesn’t seem very Hawaii surfer.”

“Because I don’t do it with my ‘Hawaii surfer’ friends, but I do with my parents. And wall climb with them, sometimes my uncle if he’s in town. My friends don’t really surf. Boogie boarding though…”

Cassie trails off at the distant look on Ellie’s face. Cassie clears her throat. “What did you do with your friends in Boston?”

Ellie licks her lips, staring at her shoes. “Me and Riley mostly hung around at malls.” She chuckles, “Joel told me that wasn’t even cool anymore when he was in high school.”

“When was that?”

“Like medieval times or something. You’re the history nerd, you tell me.”

“Oh yeah, knights _hated_ malls,” Cassie nods in mock seriousness.

While Cassie laughs at her own joke, it really tickles Ellie, who holds her sides trying to collect herself. When Ellie’s laughter dies down, Cassie has to ask. “Do you still talk to Riley?”

Maybe it’s too much, but when Cassie asked about friends, Ellie only mentioned one. Cassie can’t imagine how lonely she is.

Ellie’s face twitches and she fiddles with her sleeve. “Yeah I called her once. But even if I wanted to talk more, I don’t have a cellphone anymore.”

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

Ellie shakes her head and manages to finally look at Cassie. “Nah, it’s fine. That’s why I’m here, right? I mean it was this or summer school.”

“Uh obviously you pick camp.”

“Totally.”

A comfortable silence falls between them. Cassie’s friends aren’t one for dull moments and even at home there’s always conversation bouncing back and forth. Being friends with Ellie’s different, a bit quieter. Cassie like it.

“Up for another round?” Ellie asks, surprisingly eager. “Just don’t half ass it.”

Cassie hops up, brushing dirt from her pants. “You’re on.”

“Next time we’re doing something I’ll win at.”

Cassie grins, “You better not half ass it either.”

\----------

Ellie chooses archery.

“Cool, I’ve always wanted to learn,” Cassie says thinking on the stories Sully used to tell her about the outlaws of Sherwood Forest.

“I bet it was fun and all,” he said, “But why not steal from the rich and make yourself rich?”

She’d laugh as a little kid, but knowing the family’s old line of work now, Sully was completely serious.

Unsurprisingly, Ellie picks an activity she excels at to show off, just as Cassie chose wall climbing. The councilor Jamie praises Ellie on her grouping while Cassie’s lucky if she gets the dull thud of the arrow hitting the target.

Jamie gives Cassie some pointers as Ellie makes her way to more distant targets. When Jamie isn’t looking, Cassie catches sight of Ellie aiming for something high above in a tree, only to quickly shoot the target when spotted.

A few of Cassie’s arrows aim true and Jamie moves onto the next camper before blowing the retrieval whistle.

“You at least had a fighting chance with wall climbing,” Cassie starts, interrupted by a snort from Ellie. “There’s no way I’ll get as good as you at this.”

“You just gotta practice.”

Cassie rolls her eyes, “I didn’t realize Boston was so into archery.”

“It’s not. I’ve just had some practice recently.”

“Oh?”

“Deer hunting.”

Cassie gets the sense again while Ellie isn’t lying, she’s not telling the whole truth either. Hunting is totally normal to some people, but Cassie shivers in discomfort and anticipation at the thought of killing anything. Then again, most of her family knows their way around a gun, even mom.

The whistle blows for the next round.

“You have a license?”

Ellie looks sheepish, “Joel’s working on it.”

“Cool.”

Ellie sits out a round to help Cassie and eventually, one of her arrows hits the elusive yellow center.

“You’ll be good for deer in no time.”

“Oh, I don’t think –” Cassie stammers; Ellie grins. She was joking. “Asshole.”

“I’ve been told.”

Ellie’s quiet through dinner though.

Cassie gently hip checks her at the table, “You okay?”

Ellie blinks, “Hey, can we talk? Not here.”

Cassie nods, “Yeah, of course. I think the campfire ring is empty tonight.”

It’s harder to see Ellie’s face in the falling dusk, her hands are shoved deep in her pockets.

“I got into trouble with some people back in Boston. It doesn’t matter who, just that it would have gotten really bad. Joel was there and got me away before anything could happen.” She puts her hand on her forearm and sniffs loudly.

Cassie sits in silence and waits for Ellie to be ready again.

Ellie’s voice is thick, “I know this all sounds fucking weird, but I just wanted to be honest. Too many people have lied to me and I fucking hate it.”

Cassie chews on her lip, uncertain what to say for a very long minute. Too many memories from two years ago come flooding back, rushing over her like a rising tide.

She sits on her hands, leaning forward on the bench. “Maybe it is weird, but it’s not any weirder than some things that have happened in my family.”

Ellie lets out a disbelieving chuckle.

“I’m serious,” Cassie insists. “You don’t have to tell me any more about your past if you don’t want to, but I appreciate the honesty. And I’m really glad you felt you could tell me.”

This isn’t about Cassie though. “Do you want a hug?”

Ellie lets out a hiccup of surprise, then nods. Carefully, Cassie wraps an arm around Ellie’s shoulders. They sit in silence listening to crickets and the distant sound of camp activities.

“You’re a good friend,” Ellie says as she pulls away.

“You too,” Cassie says, her lip starting to quiver.

“Up for kicking my butt some more at archery?” Cassie suggests, trying to lighten both their moods.

“Sure.”

They’re walking back when Ellie speaks up unexpectedly. “But wait until you try out rifles though.”

“What?!”

\----------

Ellie doesn’t bring up shooting any kind of gun again the next day; Cassie breathes a little easier. They split their time between the archery range and the climbing wall and it’s fun enough.

Cassie itches to get in the lake at least once, but Ellie always hesitates at the idea.

“It’s okay if you can’t swim.”

“I can,” Ellie gets defensive. “Just not very good. There wasn’t a lot of time to practice.”

Cassie defers to her friend’s preferences. Besides, in a few days she’ll be back home, the whole Pacific Ocean open to her.

Only half asleep, Cassie watches Ellie’s near silent shadow hop down from the top bunk. Ellie shakes Cassie’s shoulder and gestures to the door. It’s against the rules, but something in Cassie’s itching for it, the Drake side begging for her to follow.

She throws off her blanket, grabs her shoes and phone, silently tip-toeing behind Ellie, careful to not let the door slam behind them. Cassie haphazardly pulls on her shoes, chasing behind Ellie in the dark, stubbing her toes on roots along the way.

“What are we doing?” Cassie hisses when they’re far enough away from anything.

Ellie turns on an enormous flashlight Cassie didn’t realize she was packing, temporarily blinding them both.

“We gotta get you some rifle time before you go.”

Cassie’s jaw drops. “What. The. Hell. Were you hiding one the whole time you were here –”

“Calm down,” Ellie laughs a little nervously. “Joel’s place isn’t too far and I know where the neighbors stash their stuff. I’ve done a _lot_ of hiking since I got to Wyoming.”

A shiver runs down Cassie’s spine, but she shrugs it off. “Let’s do it.”

They’re walking for what feels like forever, but Ellie wasn’t exaggerating, she knows where she’s going.

A shed stands somewhat distant from a ramshackle house; Ellie hands Cassie the flashlight, then slams against the shed door, popping it open. She emerges with a long rifle.

“Your neighbors really don’t lock this stuff up?”

“Joel’s sister-in-law thinks we should call the cops on Mr. Petersen but Joel doesn’t want people interfering.”

Cassie chuckles. “That kind of sounds like my uncle.”

“Well maybe they should be best friends,” Ellie says dryly. “Come on, I have some cans set up a little ways from here.”

When they come across some cans lined up on top of tree stumps, Ellie trades Cassie the flashlight for the rifle. It’s a lot heavier than Ellie made it look. Cassie wonders how it compares to a shotgun.

Sully was in the navy, of course he’d know what to do. Sam was in prison and it just seems like a prerequisite. It’s still really weird mom and dad know what to do with this thing Cassie holds in her hands.

Ellie sets up flashlight to point at the cans then runs back over to Cassie, shifting the gun in her arms.

“The kickback is gonna hurt, especially if the butt isn’t seated right on your shoulder.”

Cassie giggles at ‘butt’ out of nerves.

“I’m serious Cassie. I didn’t listen to Joel once and wound up with a huge bruise.”

“Okay, okay,” Cassie breathes out, steadying herself.

“Aim for the one on the left first.”

Cassie pulls the trigger.

_Bang_!

Cassie stumbles back a few steps at the recoil, but thankfully doesn’t completely lose her balance. Her ears ring loudly; this _has_ to be why dad’s half deaf.

“Holy crap.”

“Yeah, no shit,” Ellie laughs. “But you missed.”

“Let me try again,” Cassie repositions the rifle.

“Oh no, I’ve created a monster.”

“Nah, it was a long time coming.”

It takes several more rounds and Cassie’s sure she’s shouting at Ellie by now, but there’s finally the clang of a bullet grazing a can, just as the sky begins to lighten.

“We should head back,” Cassie concedes with a sigh.

“Just when you’re getting good?”

“I’m trying to keep us from getting in trouble.”

“Buzzkill,” Ellie huffs, but takes the rifle off Cassie’s hands and sets off at a quick pace.

The sun’s truly peeking over the mountains when they make it back to the campgrounds.

Ellie’s a little ahead of Cassie when Cassie calls out, “Wait!”

“What’s up?”

Cassie pulls her phone from her sweatshirt pocket. “We should get a picture for how awesome tonight was.”

Ellie doesn’t object and her smile is as wide as Cassie’s in the photo.

“Okay, now we gotta hurry,” Cassie laughs, stuffing her phone away.

The cabin is still when they slip back in and mere minutes after Cassie pulls her covers up, Theo wakes them all up with a, ”Rise and shine!”

Cassie and Ellie smirk at the mutual dark shadows under their eyes.

\----------

On the last full day, they go swimming. Well, Cassie goes swimming; Ellie wades out to waist deep water, arms firmly crossed over her chest. Just peeking out of view is an ugly scar on her forearm, clearly the reason she’s worn long sleeves the past two weeks.

Cassie tries not to stare. After all, her parents have bad scars they don’t really talk about, so why should Ellie?

Cassie’s only a little further out, swimming lazy circular laps when Ellie’s head goes completely under. Cassie panics, scanning the shore for any nearby councilors, but Ellie pops back up, swimming ungainly strokes out towards Cassie.

“See? I can swim,” Ellie spits lake water. Cassie laughs her nerves out.

Ellie doesn’t last long however and Cassie swims back to shore with her.

“Is this what Hawaii’s like? Swimming all the time?”

“Kind of, but only because I live on the beach. And the water’s way better because it’s warmer. I can show you.”

She dashes back to the cabin for her phone and she and Ellie pass the afternoon drying off and flipping through her pictures. Ellie coos at every one of Vicky, nods at the travel snapshots from years past, and seems interested when Cassie launches into an explanation about the Anne Bonny letter she found.

Cassie tries not to linger on the dozens of selfies with her friends from home.

“I need your number so we can talk after camp,” Cassie says as they look at yet another photo of Vicky sleeping on the couch, dad snoozing alongside her.

“I don’t have a cellphone, remember? The one I had Joel said ‘only drug dealers use’ and he also thinks kids shouldn’t have smartphones. Like I’m a baby or something.”

“What about the house line? We could talk with that.”

Ellie looks pleased at the idea and they exchange numbers on paper napkins at dinnertime.

There’s a closing event at the campfire ring; Ellie nudges Cassie, drawing her attention away.

“Hey, we _are_ still gonna be friends after this, right? You’re not just being nice or whatever.”

Cassie feels like her heart’s just been stabbed. “Yeah, we’re _definitely_ still going to be friends. If anything, you’ll get sick of me.”

Ellie laughs and things go back to normal.

The next morning, Cassie slowly repacks all the books she never got around to reading. Ellie rolls out of bed, ready to go with far less effort.

They sit together watching cars roll up and load campers and their things to drive away. Cassie has no idea what rental car to look for until dad steps out of the passenger side. She runs and launches herself at him; he only has to take a few steps back to catch her in a hug.

Winded, “I guess you missed us, huh?”

“Not that much, actually.”

“Well, I missed you so much, the trip was a mess and I told mom you’re not allowed to skip a job for camp again.”

Cassie raises her eyebrows, “Seriously?”

Dad snorts, “No baby, but we did miss you.”

Mom comes around from the other side and Cassie breaks from dad to give her an equally long hug. “You have a good time?”

“Yeah. I want you to meet my friend –” Cassie turns around and Ellie’s not there. Cassie looks around all the other parked cars and spots Ellie walking towards a truck.

“Ellie, wait!” Cassie chases after her. Ellie stops short as a man gets out.

“I just wanted to say goodbye.”

“Yeah, me too, calm down,” Ellie grins.

Mom and dad catch up.

“This is my friend, Ellie,” Cassie introduces her.

“It’s really nice to meet you,” mom puts out her hand. “You and Cassie are planning to keep in touch, I hope.”

“That’s the idea,” Ellie shakes back.

Mom makes eye contact with the man. “Hi, I’m Cassie’s mom, Elena. This is my husband.”

“Joel.” He shakes mom’s hand, then dad’s.

“Nate. Sounds like the girls had a good time.”

“Sounds like you’re gonna rack up the phone bill.” Joel looks serious, but there’s a joking tone in there somewhere.

“Keep your shirt on,” Ellie grouses.

“You could always write letters,” dad suggests.

“Oh my god, that would be fun.” Cassie’s never had a proper pen pal before. She pulls the napkin with Ellie’s number on it out; dad has a pen on him and they jot down their respective addresses.

“Come on kiddo, we gotta get a move on,” Joel urges.

Cassie throws her arms around Ellie; Ellie hugs tightly back.

“I’ll miss you.”

“We’ll talk soon.”

And that’s it. Cassie’s first camp over. She insists her parents tell her everything about the dig as they take the long drive to grandma and grandpa’s house. She is transported across the globe entirely, no longer on winding rural highways.

Grandpa puts her up in mom’s old room. Cassie’s eye goes to a faded old photo of mom in the same spot she stood with Ellie just a few days ago. She smiles and adds the number to her phone.

\----------

Joel gets home from work first while Ellie diligently strums her practice chords.

“Get that dog off the couch,” he sighs, looking at Nike curled up against Ellie’s side.

Ellie shoos Nike, but puts her face in his, “Don’t worry boy, he’ll be a pushover when you climb into bed with him tonight.”

“He takes up more room than me and Tess combined,” Joel complains.

Ellie grins, “That’s not a no.”

“Come help me with dinner.”

“Yeah, let me just put something on.”

Scrolling through the endless options on the TV, Ellie always pauses on _Drake & Fisher Fortunes_, but never watches it. She will admit she’s a little interested and maybe she’d even learn something cool, but it’s weird. It’s Cassie’s parents after all.

She settles on a documentary about some old band so Joel won’t complain about watching TV over dinner.

They’re in the middle of chopping up vegetables when Tess walks through the door, hands full with the mail.

“Someone must think we live here,” Ellie jokes.

“Har har,” Tess says dryly. “Junk, junk, junk, bill –” she tosses the one envelope on the counter. “Junk, and one letter from Hawaii for Ellie. How fancy.”

Ellie snatches the letter out of Tess’s hand, dropping the knife on the cutting board. She launches herself backwards over the couch to position herself upside down to read.

“Fine. I can finish this all myself” Joel chuckles.

Ellie gives a thumbs up. “Sounds good!”

Ripping into the envelope, a photo falls out. Ellie snatches it before Nike gets his mouth on it. It’s a printout of the photo she and Ellie took.

“That’s cute,” Tess says, craning her neck to look.

“That was when we went over to Mr. Petersen’s.”

“You are extremely lucky you weren’t caught,” Joel sighs.

“But we weren’t.”

“I suppose there’s that.”

Ellie reads the letter.

_Dear Ellie,_

_Sorry it’s taken me so long to write but things have been their usual post-dig crazy here at home. Mom and dad probably get less sleep when the show’s in editing than when they’re actually researching. Plus I’ve been trying to catch up on my summer reading before school starts next week._

_My dad says he remembers those comics you were reading because they were around when he was a kid. The nuns wouldn’t let him read it though because they thought it was basically porn._

_Mom printed out the picture nice for you because she’s weird and old and likes to have prints._

_I told them you showed me how to shoot a rifle, I hope that’s okay. They weren’t thrilled, but still weren’t as mad as when my uncle let me ride his motorcycle when I was 7 so I think it worked out._

_Our last phone call was too short, I hope we can have another soon. I want to meet your new puppy soooo bad._

_Miss you lots,_

_Cassie_

Ellie sniffs, then refolds the letter. “I’m coming back to help, I promise,” she assures Joel and Tess, running up to her room.

It’s still pretty empty, though on her occasional visit, Sarah helps Ellie out.

Over her headboard, she’s tacked a photo strip of her and Riley. She sticks the picture of her and Cassie right next to it.

\----------

In the middle of her first issue of _Savage Starlight_ , Cassie’s phone buzzes with a text from an unknown number.

**[1:06 PM]** Hey it’s Ellie I HAVE A PHONE!!!!! 🐶💩🔥

**[Me 1:06 PM]** OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> I try not to think about the crossover where they have to fight zombies instead of wholesome fun.


End file.
